The quarterback chatter may be drawing the loudest attention around the Browns, but the offensive line still looks like the place where the real decisions are waiting to be made.
On Friday, HC Todd Monken said Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson still haven’t clearly pulled away from one another, even after Thursday brought a noticeable difference in some snaps. But while that battle keeps getting the spotlight, Cleveland’s line is shaping up as another major puzzle.
At this point, Zion Johnson appears to be the one player with a firm grip on a starting spot. The left guard job looks settled, and Johnson is highly likely to stay there. Beyond that, the picture gets murkier fast.
First-round pick Spencer Fano is widely seen as the favorite at left tackle, though his spot hasn’t been handed to him outright. He has been alternating starts with veteran Dawand Jones throughout training camp.
Tytus Howard, who got a contract extension after Cleveland traded for him, could either move inside to right guard or remain at right tackle. And at center, there’s plenty of uncertainty, with Elgton Jenkins and Parker Brailsford both dealing with injuries.
When asked about the balance between talent and fit on the offensive line, Monken made it clear where his starting point is: the talent has to be there first.
The Browns seem to be moving toward Johnson staying at left guard and Fano starting somewhere. After that, the final shape of the line may come down to who’s healthy and who best fits the mix, even if that means some players end up in spots that aren’t exactly expected.
In Other News...
Deshaun Watson Faces One Browns Reality He May Not Escape
Deshaun Watsons summer in Berea has turned into something much different than the familiar notion of an entrenched starter simply working his way back into rhythm. The Browns are trying to win now, not reset for the future, and that urgency has put Watson in a real competition for the top job rather than giving him a clean runway. With the organization focused on immediate results, every practice rep carries more weight than it would on a rebuilding roster.
Watson says he is fully healthy after two Achilles injuries and wants preseason snaps to show he still belongs, but the larger question around him is no longer only about availability. Clevelands leadership has made clear it wants progress now, yet there is growing skepticism about whether Watson can raise the teams ceiling enough to match that ambition or even stay in the picture beyond 2026. In that sense, his battle is about more than winning the starting job, because the Browns are also weighing how long this relationship can realistically last. [Read more 🡒]
Tylan Wallace Is Giving Browns Fans A Camp Storyline They Didn't Expect
The Browns added Tylan Wallace in the offseason as a low-key signing, the kind of move that usually reads as depth and special teams insurance. Instead, he has started to turn heads at training camp by making himself useful in ways that go beyond his usual profile, helping rookies and other wideouts while putting himself in position to matter more than expected when the roster gets trimmed down.
For a receiver who has mostly made his living on special teams, that kind of camp rise is notable enough on its own. Wallace also brings familiarity with Todd Monkens system, which has helped him settle in quickly and made him a more important piece in the eyes of the staff, even as the broader question remains how large a role he can carve out once the offense starts taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Still Havent Solved The One Problem Drew Brees Highlights
Drew Brees has spent this week back in Northeast Ohio with a very different kind of spotlight on him, taking part in his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in Canton after a career that turned the Saints into a model of stability. His ties to the Midwest have always been part of his story, and his interview in Canton served as a reminder of how much his run in New Orleans meant, from the wins to the division titles to the long stretch of relevance he delivered.
For the Browns, Brees also brings back an old ache. He made his Saints debut against Cleveland in 2006, and nearly two decades later the franchise is still searching for the kind of quarterback foundation he provided in New Orleans. The contrast is hard to ignore in a town that knows how rare true long-term answers at the position can be, especially when the Hall of Fame conversation itself reaches back to Otto Graham. [Read more 🡒]